Ghost and Master flew through the station, Master telling Ghost where to go, pausing in areas of interest to them both. They finally stopped at a computer console in the empty auxiliary command center.

Master sat in front of the console, while Ghost made them tangible, being able to interact with the physical world.

“Computer, enable keyboard functions in English.” Master said.

“Identification required, please provide access name.”

The computer console screen displayed above the keyboard. ‘Audio authentication’ was colored in green. ‘Access Name’ was colored in yellow.

“Master.”

‘Access denied.’

“Lord Master.”

‘Access denied.’

“Rumpelstiltskin.” Master puffed.

‘Access denied.’

“This will take forever. Especially, since I can’t read these peoples’ minds to get a password.” Ghost stated.

“I don’t think it would help since the audio doesn’t match. But the computer accepted our audio, so…” Master exhaled slowly.

“So what?” Ghost countered.

“Computer, access name is Benjamin Dempsey.”

‘Access granted.’

“What kind of lame security system is that?” Ghost asked.

“No one knows my name except you guys, and our real names aren’t mentioned in the ancient legends book, but if Cassandra’s father wrote it, he must have known our names. It’s the perfect security system if you think about it. Someone could probably duplicate our voices, but not knowing our real names would have made it fool proof.” Master said while the keyboards and all displays converted into English and allowed access to all locked files.

“Wow.” Ghost looked over Master’s shoulder. “It’s the schematics to the station, names of all the crew. It’s military and star systems information for everything, friendly and enemy.”

“That’s what I’m talking about.” Master said with a wide grin, typing in commands and touching the screen with lightning fast robot reflexes.

“How did you know to touch the screen?” Ghost asked while coming to the realization himself on how the advanced interfaced worked.

“I’m a…”

“Genius, yes we all know.” Ghost’s peeved facial expression was unseen as both were invisible to the naked eye and Master’s back was to him.

Master scrolled and viewed through thousands of schematics, military historical data, and planetary and star systems information. Ghost was interested in the information, but soon bored not being able to keep up with the youngster.

“Why would all this information be in a computer database, in a space station on the edge of the galaxy?” Ghost asked.

Master stopped his computer surfing. “Huh, I’ll have to get back with you on that one, but if it helps, there seems to be a data feed through other computers from outer space at different times. Not sure if the information is transferred from other ships as they visit the station or distant radio signals from planets.”

The console screen turned blue for a second and the station security system lights came on. “Intruder alert, intruder alert, intruder alert.” The computer announced through the station intercoms.

“What did you do?” Ghost scolded.

“It’s not me; the bay energy fields were illegally disrupted. And that’s what did it.” Master pointed at the three main screens on the far wall. Framed windows of camera views were open revealing the presence of dozens twenty meter long and three meter wide dark green snake-like creatures. Blue electrical streaks crackled inside their wide opened oval mouths as they slithered across the bay floor attacking people and small machinery.

Master rapidly touched the console, opening up a schematic of the station with every level. “Computer, override station systems control to this console.”

“What are you doing?” Ghost was about to lift Master out of the seat.

“All personal, enemy creatures have entered the bays. Secure for quarters, until the Burik’dir can repel the intrusion.” Master said over the loud speakers in English, and was automatically repeated in Arloian.

A window of a camera shot of the conference room opened on the right side of the main screen. “Stargazer, I’m patching in what I see to the conference room. I need you guys to go kill those things while I try to contain them in sections of the station.” Master quickly announced into the conference room.

The group looked behind Major Krodis at the multiple screens as a backdrop. Stargazer jumped out of seat and stood in front of Krodis.

Krodis turned back around from the screens in complete surprise to see Stargazer inches from her face in a fraction of a second.

“Is there a way to communicate without the use of a helmet?” Stargazer firmly grabbed her arm.

“It’s an implant in the ears and throat which would allow such a capability, but it will take too long to put one in you.”

“Okay, it’s a race to the bays. You’re coming with me.” Stargazer hugged Krodis and flew out of the room as Spot and Rat Bastard cleared the way by opening doors. “Master, open the lift doors and shut down all the elevators!”

“Go to the command center and protect it?” Spot commanded the guards as they flew by them.

The auxiliary command center screens were full of hundreds of video camera views and maps of all personnel in the station. Master started to give commands to personnel as to where to go, opening and closing automatic doors and systems. “Sector four loading dock, retreat right now into blue rooms 12A thru 13B.”

The security Soldiers stood their ground firing at seven creatures in the bay, while technicians ran for their lives. The fully automatic weapon response was ineffective as only one creature laid motionless from hundreds of plasma impacts. “Fall back now, so I can take care of the worms!” Master screamed.

“Take it easy.” Ghost said.

“Do as Master said, now!” Commander Exleter instructed in their ear pieces.

The Soldiers ran back with one creature almost gobbling a strangler before Master closed the thick doors behind him.

“Thank you. Finally!” Master said as he overrode safeties to the outer force field generators and turned them off. Fourteen creatures and numerous loose crates and machinery in sector four bay blew out into space with extreme velocity.

Master touched another icon and one of the hallways into the bay also caught a creature slamming the corners, leaving black tar like blood and skin in its wake.

Spot entered the all too familiar sector 3 bay except this time it was littered with dead body parts, machinery half eaten by forty or so creatures, scattered all around the concentrations of people or doorways.

Rat Bastard instantly turned into the Rat and screeched in the direction of two worms within ten meters from their entry location. The piercing sound vibrations took Stargazer and Spot by surprise, but more so Major Krodis who fell to the floor with both hands on her helmet where her ears would normally be positioned.

Spot and Stargazer paused for a moment to gain control of their bearings, seeing the two long creatures hit an invisible wave of destruction. Their exterior shells of a body torn off; revealing the skeleton of blue static charges and black organ segments. The sonic vibrations threw the creatures backward fifty meters before they stopped being shredded into black splatter. The wave continued to the opposite side of the bay annoying several creatures within the arc of the attack.

All of the creatures in the bay stopped moving and all turned their mouths toward Rat Bastard.

“That’s right, come and get it!” Rat Bastard yelled getting ready to huff and puff once again.

Spot helped Krodis up while Stargaze got in front of Rat Bastard.

“Go to that door, we can funnel them there.” Stargazer pointed at Green entrance 3, leading into one of several mess areas.

Master contained seven creatures within the hallways and rooms near the bays, but two had made it to the turbo lifts. “I’ll take care of them, you continue kicking ass.” Ghost said and flew off toward the two intruders.

“Okay.” Master replied out of impulse being busy trying to figure out where the worms were coming from.

Stargazer led the way followed by Spot carrying Krodis, and Rat Bastard on his heels.

A worm lay between them and the ten meter wide sliding metallic doors. A laser beam passed Stargazer by inches, hitting the worm’s outer mouth. The worm turned into the laser taking in the laser beam as if attracted to the energy.

Stargazer glazed back at Spot then flew as fast as he could into the worm. The worm’s flesh was more like very hard plastic scales to him, instead of hide or bone. He didn’t stop to take notice as the blue energy stung his entire body as he made a large hole through the worm. The impact slowed him down, landing on his feet past the creature. His body tingled, with an almost numbing effect, lasting but seconds.

Spot and Rat Bastard stood defending the entrance of the doorway with Krodis running inside the corridor.

Tar-like ooze covered Stargazer’s skin, which also started to burn away the remains of his torn trousers. He flew next and in between his two friends. The worms moved like sidewinders looking for vengeance. “Wait until they get closer before you take them out with that scream of yours.”

“I can only do it one or two more times, so you might want to have a backup plan.” Rat half growled.

“What? Is there anything else we should know now?” Stargazer quickly asked.

“Yeah, In-coming! Screeeeee!!!” Rat Bastard’s cone directed sonic wave obliterated a dozen worms, and stunned the other two dozen.

“Fall back into the corridor.” Stargazer flew backwards into the very wide corridor, with Krodis and a few Soldiers at the other end.

Rat Bastard flew next to the Soldiers, while Spot stood by Stargazer’s side at the entrance.

Rat Bastard looked at Krodis and grabbed her arm forcing her into the small mess hall. The Soldiers followed them not sure what Rat Bastard was doing. “I’m sorry guys, but you can manage on your own!”

Spot and Stargazer looked back in shock as the door closed in front of Rat Bastard. “He really is a bastard.” Spot said, bewildered.

Stargazer peered through the two foot thick metallic alloy doors with interest and disbelief. “He locked the doors too.” Stargazer smiled, seeing ten people in the mess area. “He’s protecting the crew so we don’t let any worms inside.”

“Okay, any ideas?” Spot asked as he gauged how long it would be before the worms would be on top of them.

“They seem to like your light show, so can you get them to follow you so I can spear through groups at a time.” Stargazer replied.

“Huh, okay naked man, here I go.” Spot laughed and flew up thirty meters shooting all the worms with laser beams from his fingers.

Spot flew in a two hundred meter circular pattern as wide as the walls of the bay allowed, laser beams burning small few inch trenches on the bay floor when he missed a worm’s hungry mouth.

Stargazer was partially covered with the black ooze now; the floor he stood on was sizzling from the acid like properties. “The worms seem to be ignoring me, this stuff is camouflaging me, I think?”

Many of the creatures coiled up and erected themselves close to thirty meters high. Spot almost flew into the path of a few worms, but he compensated and flew a little higher. “Anytime now!” Spot yelled.

Stargazer flew down the bay to get some distance away from the horde of worms slithering in a circle. He focused on a path and flew as fast as he could against the direction of travel countering the circular pattern Spot was taking them. The impact and effects of the first few worms felt as before, but as Stargazer flew in the large circle the velocity slowed greatly. He adjusted by trying to open his eyes as fast as possible after exiting a worm and speed up.

Spot flew lower seeing that Stargazer was killing all of the worms.

The increase in speed slingshot Stargazer out of the circle and he missed the last living worm. He flew out into the far wall of the bay leaving a long black streak of blood on it for fifty meters before he could stop.

The uninjured worm struck at Spot with viper like speed. The mouth grabbed a hold of Spot’s lower body, feet first. The blue energy didn’t disintegrate Spot’s body, but it did paralyze him for the moment.

Spot looked down at the black edge of the mouth, thousands of shark like teeth held tight on his waist. The teeth didn’t pierce his skin, but the blue energy crackled louder the more he tried to free himself. He grabbed the mouth with both hands on opposite ends trying to open it so he could slip out. The effort was futile as his legs were completely numb now.

“Let go of him!” Rat Bastard came out of nowhere, and lunged onto the worm’s body near the mouth. He flew in as a rat, but when he made contact with the worm, he turned into his large human form. He dug his fingers inside the worm’s outer scales and bear hugged the monster with cross stretched arms and legs.

The worm thrashed about like a wild bull in a rodeo. Rat Bastard quickly squeezed harder, his arms and feet dug into the body a few feet as the worm slammed him on the bay floor, spitting Spot out many meters away. The worm lifted back up, but Rat Bastard’s relentless hug, tighten. Black clumps of blood gushed out of the worm’s mouth as if something inside its body had ruptured. Rat Bastard and the worm’s head landed on the floor hard with a very loud slap sound echoing to the other side of the bay.

Stargazer flew to Spot’s side. “You okay?”

“Why didn’t you tell me it can paralyze you?”

“What are you talking about, I’m fine?”

Rat Bastard stood up now covered in black tar-like ooze. “Oh, that tingles.” He looked at Stargazer and Spot in the distance, then looked down at his black clothes. “Oh no, that burns! It burns!” Rat Bastard turned into the rat and shook himself like a dog gone wild after existing water.

Black ooze sprayed everywhere creating a mist in the air. “You see, it burns and paralyzes.” Spot’s clothes were wet, but not from the black ooze, but more from a bluish residue of energy or plasma from the inside of the worm.

“It burns!” Rat Bastard screamed again having ooze still on his body and flew at top speed into space beyond the bay entrance force fields.

The two men looked at Rat Bastard fly past the energy force field barrier and float outside in the vacuum of space as if relieved from a terrifying plague or itch which wouldn’t go away.

“I guess rats can survive anywhere.” Spot said.

“Rats survived the Ice Age, why not the space age.” Stargazer smiled, but his face turned to concern as he saw a transparent shadow of a ship in Rat’s background. Stargazer peered closer, as if trying to see details instead of going for distance with his extraordinary vision.

Rat Bastard flew back inside toward Stargazer and Spot at the same time turning into human form. “I think I’ll do what Bastard did and get this stuff off of me.” Spot commented.

“No! there’s an invisible spaceship outside, that’s where the monster worms are coming from.”

“A cloaked ship? Like the Romulans?” Spot looked back at Stargazer and then at empty space with interest.

“Fall back to the corridor again. Rat Bastard this isn’t over, come over here now!” Stargazer flew back to the corridor, but kept his head facing and examining the cloaked ship.

The three flew quickly to the corridor entrance several hundred meters from the bay space entrance. “Are there more of those fire worms?” Rat Bastard asked.

“Go tell Major Krodis to tell Master that there’s a cloaked spaceship outside. I hope the station has weapons, otherwise we will have to board that thing very soon.” Stargazer instructed, as Rat Bastard flew next to an intercom near the doors.

“Why don’t we board it now?” Spot asked.

“If they can travel through space or have force fields like in Star Trek, then we might be outside in space unable to board and be in the way of friendly fire by the station.”

“Huh, that makes sense.” Spot faintly said, feeling very tired, with his strength slowly returning. “How big is the ship?”

“It’s big enough to take up the entire view of the bay entrance.”

Master heard the conversation over the intercom and diverted weapons to the outside of Section 3 Bay.

“Did you hear that Master?” Rat Bastard asked.

“Yes, but the ship’s computer won’t fire without a target lock so close to the bay and for some reason most of the weapons are offline, probably because the armada stripped most of the station’s firepower before they left. But I got an idea.” Master replied, Stargazer and Spot hearing from a distance through the intercom.

Ghost flew directly and swiftly to the first worm which was closest to the command control center having burned through the lift door at that level. He flew next to it and placed his hand inside the beast. A strong current of energy paralyzed his hand, but he was able to quickly withdraw his hand. A surge of pain raced up his arm as he stayed next to the monster, matching its speed and direction of travel.

The pain felt like the worse charley horse ever on his arm. The worm was slithering rapidly down the hallway and would soon hit the command center entrance. He wasn’t sure if it could instantly get through the doors, but the four security guards in the hallway were his main concern. He thought quickly and concentrated on his transmutation command instead of the annoying painful numbness of his arm.

The worm slid forward down the hall, but stopped several feet in front of the guards who were firing their plasma rifles to no end. The crackling energy sound the creature made had also stopped, which was also drowned out by gunfire.

A ten meter section of the worm turned into light green jelly as if it had melted away in a microwave oven, while the rest of the body remained dark green, black, and hard.

“We killed it!” One of the guards yelled with joy over the radio and helmet speakers.

Ghost looked at the guards and smiled. “Yeah, you’re the man.” He whispered to himself and flew off to his next target.

It wasn’t long before he came up on the second loose worm which was about to enter the engineering sector. His transmutation command quickly killed the worm and kept the enemy attack from disabling the station’s main power supply.

Back in the auxiliary bridge, Master brought up an inventory of items in and near the bays. His eyes lit up with delight as the inventory revealed what he wanted, but was yet disturbing to his teenage view of life. “Computer, activate cargo item 120K-9034. Set for remote detonate at my command.”

“Activated.” The computer’s tone was emotionless and deep.

Three worms appeared in space and entered the sector 3 bay entrance. Stargazer scanned the entire area trying to see what was going on in other sections of the station.

Master turned off sector 1 bay force fields and a large portion of cargo crates the size of semi-trucks blasted outside into space.

“What now boss man.” Spot asked, readying himself.

“We wait for more worms to enter and take them out in large numbers. It will help you guys conserve your energy.”

“What’s that!” Spot pointed at the debris blown out into space from sector 1 bay underneath them.

Stargazer looked at the debris and smiled. “Spot, shoot the debris from here… Quickly!”

Spot was slightly confused, but did as his military training taught him. “White laser beams came out of his hand, passing the entrance force fields and showering the debris.”

Master touched the intercom icon on his console. “All personnel, brace for impact!” Then touched the cargo icon.

Stargazer quickly looked around for something to hold on to, just in case. A brilliant flash of light came into the bay as Spot and Rat Bastard turned away from the nuclear explosion outside the station. Stargazer ignored the flash and grabbed Spot’s wrist, yanking him towards Rat Bastard. “Fly against the vacuum!”

Stargazer stuck out his free hand to get a hold of the big guy as the blast of radiation hit the force field, bringing it down. Rat Bastard’s shirt ripped as Stargazer’s held on to it; the atmosphere escaping the bay taking anything loose along with it. “Hold o…” Stargazer shouted, but the lack of air cut the message short. The three men flew against the air current for a moment until the force fields were restored. The gravity was also weakened as the three men looked on at the enemy spaceship, now marked with extensive damage to its rectangular superstructure and quite visible.

“Yeah that ship is too big for this bay.” Spot said but no one heard him as air was still being dumped into the bay.

Stargazer tapped Spot and Rat Bastard on their shoulders. “Follow me.” He said and instructed with his hands by pointing to them and back at himself.

Stargazer flew towards the enemy ship, but before they reached the bay force fields, the enemy ship blew up into a ball of energy and light. It was smaller than the initial twenty megaton explosion and the station’s force fields held strong. He stopped in mid air with Spot and Rat Bastard by his side. He scanned the area for life pods or survivors, but none came into view.

The air was now shallow near the vents in the ceiling. “I don’t see any survivors.” Stargazer said.

“Could they have killed themselves to prevent capture?” Rat Bastard asked.

Stargazer and Spot looked at him, amazed. “That’s a very good question.” Spot smiled.

Rat Bastard smiled back, but his face quickly changed into a sunken look. “But you don’t have an answer, do you?”

“Sorry big guy. Answers are something we all want but aren’t getting.” Stargazer replied and flew off to find the few worms Master had trapped in the station. The worms were to his relief, motionless as if they ran out of batteries.

“All personnel, decontamination procedures have been initiated. Do not touch traces or go into a sector that has a dead Bether.” Master announced and brought up a view screen of Commander Exleter and the bridge crew in the command center.

“Commander, I apologize for the takeover, but you have full control of the station at this time.” Master said to the entire audience.

“It’s so kind of you Lord Master, but I want you and your companions to meet me in the conference room in an hour.” Commander Exleter replied with an irritated face, and turned off the camera.

“Eye eye Capitan. And you’re welcome.” Master replied to a closed window and hundreds of camera windows of the station. “You and Black Beard would make great friends.” Master said as he opened the locked door and made his way to the conference room.